Emerson, Lake and Palmer Founder, Keith Emerson, Dies of Apparent Suicide

The founding member of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, keyboardist Keith Emerson, was found dead early Friday morning at his home in Santa Monica of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, police said.

Emerson, 71, was found by his longtime girlfriend about 1:45 a.m. in the 400 block of Marine Street, said Santa Monica police Sgt. Erika Aklusi.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Aklusi, who said a shotgun was recovered.

Emerson's former band, ELP, announced on its Facebook of his passing but did not mention the apparent suicide.

"We regret to announce that Keith Emerson died last night at his home in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, aged 71. We ask that the family’s privacy and grief be respected," the band wrote on its Facebook page.

Born in Yorkshire, England, Emerson found early success with The Nice in the 1960s before forming one of the most successful progressive rock bands of the '70s, Emerson, Lake and Palmer.

Emerson played with ELP throughout the 1970s until the band's breakup in 1979. He then had a moderately successful career as a solo artist in the 1980s and with the band 3. ELP reunited for one album in the 1990s before disbanding again. His last album, The Three Fates Project, was released in 2012.

Emerson was widely considered in the music industry as one of the best keyboardists around.

"Keith was a gentle soul whose love for music and passion for his performance as a keyboard player will remain unmatched for many years to come. He was a pioneer and an innovator whose musical genius touched all of us in the worlds of rock, classical and jazz," bandmate and co-ELP founder Carl Palmer wrote on his Facebook page. " I will always remember his warm smile, good sense of humor, compelling showmanship, and dedication to his musical craft. I am very lucky to have known him and to have made the music we did, together."

Emerson is survived by his ex-wife, Elinor Emmerson, and their two sons, Aaron and Damon.

City News Service contributed to this report. Photo credit: Mari Kawaguchi/Wiki Commons